Adrift
by satomobile
Summary: Korra struggles with the anxiety of coming out while traveling on an opulent ocean liner en route to do just that. Along the way she is surprised to find distraction and solace in new friends and old. Korrasami/Linzuo.


**A/N:** Big thanks to makanidotdot for her incredible art for this story and her invaluable story input. Another big thank you to rhoeysama for spell and fact checking me like a pro!

* * *

Korra adjusted the gloves on her hands with a scowl. They were a gift from Asami, for just this occasion- beautifully stitched leather gloves that likely cost more than the extravagant steamship she was getting ready to board. With a huff, she tore her right glove off to free up her fingers a bit for scratching her waist- the woolen material she wore was rather itchy and Korra found herself wondering why on earth people were expected to dress up for sea voyages. She gave the cargo hold a furtive glance, considering her initial passage into Republic City- perhaps she would be more comfortable amongst the freight than she would be in the passenger cabin Asami had booked on her behalf. She could've smuggled Naga that way too.

A porter interrupted her trip down memory lane, "Miss? May I see your ticket?"

"Oh! Yeah, uhh…." Korra dug around in her pockets, pulling nothing but lint, "hang on I got it here somewhere."

"It's…um, Miss? The ticket is in your hand," the porter informed her as politely as possible.

Korra's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, "So it is…heh!" She passed him the ticket and began shrugging the glove back on. "Sorry. I'm kind of all over the place- don't normally travel this way…or dress up much."

The porter looked up and smiled, "Not to worry. If this is your first time taking a steamship across the ocean you are in luck- it looks as if you've booked one of our above deck rooms so you'll have a nice view the entire way!" He glanced down at her one suitcase, battered and worn, "Are you traveling alone?"

"Yep."

He looked over her shoulder tentatively, "And your other luggage is…?"

"This is it," she confirmed, kicking the case with a shrug.

The pitiful look he gave her passed in an instant, "Well, then. I'll be happy to take it up to your room. Would you like me to show you the way?"

Korra looked up at the broad side of the ship, dwarfed by its enormity, "Yeah actually, I have a feeling it'd be pretty easy to get lost."

He nodded, "Right this way, Miss-" he glanced at her ticket, "Korra."

About three paces further he paused, "I am so sorry. Korra, as in Avatar Korra?"

Korra grinned, "Guilty as charged."

"Oh my goodness, it is an honor," he nodded, bowing once before continuing on, "I apologize. I suppose I assumed you might travel with an entourage of some kind."

"Not today," she laughed.

After making their way up the gangplank they made a right turn down a hallway, at the end of which lay a beautifully gilded elevator, "If you don't mind my asking, what is taking you to the Fire Nation?"

"A big boat," Korra joked, he gave her a nervous laugh in return. "Uh.. I'm meeting a friend there."

"Ah, so pleasure," he acknowledged.

"What?" Korra yelped, suddenly alert.

The porter gave her a wide-eyed stare, stepping into the elevator finally, "I mean instead of business. Business or pleasure."

"Oh," Korra laughed, "Right. Got it. Pleasure."

The porter pulled the caged elevator door closed and it lifted them both, gears whirring. Their ascent was brief and silent. The insinuation had put her on edge. Though to be fair, Korra's sense of pleasure had been on edge for several months now.

It had been five months since she and Asami had crossed the boundaries of friendship and while they had been some of the most pleasant and peaceful months either had ever experienced, there was still one dark cloud looming over the happy couple- they hadn't yet told anyone.

Quite surprisingly, it hadn't come up. Nobody assumed they were anything but best friends. When they returned from three weeks in the Spirit World their friends and loved ones had all simply assumed they had 'needed some girl time' which wasn't altogether untrue.

The days and weeks continued to pass without comment. Nobody noticed, and if they had any inkling that Korra and Asami had become romantically involved they neglected to say so. It wasn't until Mako broke down and asked Korra to please go out for a date with Wu to save his sanity that the girls decided they would have to come out with their new status.

Korra hesitated. It was a daunting prospect she and Asami talked over ad nauseum while snuggled up together in her oversized bed. While Korra's first concern was with the papers and the opinions of her loved ones, Asami's was the secrecy. Living what she considered to be a lie was becoming exhausting and she took exceptional issue with the fact that Korra was made to deny their relationship in front of others.

_"Why don't you just tell him then?" Asami argued after the fourth Wu incident that week. _

_ Korra sighed, "What am I supposed to say, Asami? 'Sorry, I'm dating a girl?'" _

_ "Yes," she replied simply, eyes shining with unshed tears. _

It was undeniable that Korra's reluctance was taking an emotional toll on her girlfriend, who had no qualms about going public with their relationship. Sensitive to her stance, Korra finally acquiesced. They decided it was only right to tell Korra's parents first- and that they'd do it together.

Unfortunately, duty called Asami away to the Satomobile factory in Fire Fountain City. Undeterred, Asami organized a plan; Korra's ticket was for the Fire Nation where she would link up with Asami before boarding again: next stop the South Pole.

The Water Tribe has never been known for its radical progressiveness and the more Korra thought on it, the only references to unconventional relationships like hers that she could recall hearing about as a child were accompanied by a deprecating comment, a joke, or a look of revulsion. She didn't give it much thought back then.

Now, the very memory of it was making Korra feel claustrophobic and thankfully the elevator halted just in time for her to retain her composure. The porter pulled the door open and bowed, allowing her to exit first.

Korra walked forward, footsteps muted by the lush red carpeting in the hall. The hallway was narrow, dark wooden doors appearing sporadically. Every other door was adorned with a glinting golden placard; she read several names as she made her way along the hall, "Kwong Suite", "Feng Suite", and finally "Beifong Suite." Korra stopped, squinting her eyes just to be sure.

"Sorry, Avatar Korra your room is still ahead," he instructed.

"Oh yeah, I was just looking at this… I know the Beifongs," she commented, moving to follow him.

He gave a nod, "Lao Beifong partially funded the building of this vessel."

"So that's like reserved for them or something?"

"Not necessarily," the porter explained, "any of his family members do have first claim to that suite, but most of the time we rent it out," he leaned in, "it's not cheap."

Korra smiled, "So I'm guessing I'll be in the Sato Suite then?"

The porter paused in front of a door with nothing but the number "11" on it, "we don't have a Sato suite."

"Oh."

"But hopefully this will be to your liking," he asserted, pushing the door open to reveal a spacious cabin with a double bed, large window, writing desk, and full bathroom off the main room. A bouquet of freshly cut roses adorned the desk.

"Wow, yeah this'll do," Korra mused, impressed.

The porter held out a key, "you'll find a full program of the ship's events and map on the counter just there. If you need anything you can ring this bell," he continued, pointing out a covered bell nearby the door, "and someone will be with you as soon as possible. Enjoy your stay."

Korra smiled, "Wait, uh, let me get some yuans or something."

"That isn't necessary."

"Oh come on, you dragged my crap all the way up here," she dismissed rifling through her bag, she finally found a couple hopelessly crinkled notes and held them out, "Here!"

"Well, thank you, Avatar Korra. You are too kind," the porter smiled, stepping back into the hall.

Korra braced herself on the doorjamb swaying lightly, "No problem, really. What was your name again?"

"Yu."

"It's no problem, Yu. I'd be lost without-" she paused, shooting him a wry smile, "without Yu!"

He gave her a weak grin in return, clearly having heard this play on words a time or two before.

"Enjoy your stay," he repeated with a bow of finality.

"Yeah, you too," Korra nodded, dipping back into her room and closing the door. The low hum of the ship's engine, leagues beneath her feet was her only company now. With a sigh, Korra sauntered over to the window, dropping to smell the roses along the way. She noticed a note inside and paused, plucking it from the surrounding baby's breath.

_Korra, _

_The last week without you has been the longest of my life. Travel safe and arrive here soon, I miss you terribly. I know you're scared, but don't forget we're in this together! _

_All my love, _

_Asami_

Korra bit her lip as her smile spread, heart fluttering as she re-read Asami's words. She snapped the note card in her hand once with a laugh, continuing on to her window to peer out at the docking area below.

Crowds of people in their smart travel attire gathered along the deck outside, pushing against the railing to wave farewell to their friends and family below. When she booked this trip, something in her wouldn't allow a farewell party. She traveled to the docks alone. Now, she was regretting her decision. It would be three long nights at sea with nothing much to do and nobody to spend it with. She clutched Asami's note tighter.

The ship shuddered loudly then, listing slightly and giving Korra a start. She gasped, gripping the sill with alarm, "Spirits. I guess that means we're on our way," she commented aloud to an empty room.

She glanced around wistfully, settling her sights on the program of events. She swiped it from the desk and threw herself on the bed as the ship steamed out to sea, blaring horns announcing its departure.

There didn't seem to be much in the way of events on this evenings' itinerary. Dinner could be ordered to one's room and only the largest mid-level dining hall was open for service.

Korra glanced at her suitcase, hopeful that she may not even have to attempt getting into the formal gown she had been advised to bring along. On that note, she slipped out of her binding travel suit and into her normal linen pants and tunic, flipping to the menu page and ringing the bell.

Her dinner arrived with an invitation from the ship's Captain to tour the bridge, a privilege extended to Korra in honor of her position as the Avatar. Angling for a friend on this lonely ship- she requested Yu as her guide and he was provided, appearing in his cleanly pressed uniform exactly one hour after her meal.

Her attempts to get him to relax were in vain and Korra spent the evening being led from one point of disinterest to the next by some of the driest personalities she'd ever come across. The ship itself was a grand affair and spared no expense down to the last luxurious detail; the average hallway was an ornate art piece, each room an architectural marvel, but Korra found the experience lacking without someone to share it with. She passed couples wandering the upper decks arm in arm and felt a pang of longing for Asami.

Bored and alone, Korra curled up on the double bed, rocked to sleep by the rolling waves of the Mo Ce Sea.

* * *

The following morning she took breakfast in her room, lingering there as she listened to the band playing on the deck below. After a few hundred sit-ups and several failed attempts at drafting a script for how she was going to tell her parents about Asami, she left her room to wander the ship.

The sun was directly overhead, warming her against the sea breeze as she wandered the decks passing games of shuffleboard, tennis, and ping-pong. She stood alongside one table awkwardly awaiting another single person to arrive and offer up a match. When no such person materialized she set off again, pacing past the lunchtime diners.

Half way down the deck, amidst the cacophony of conversations and music she picked up a familiar voice. Korra stopped in her tracks, spinning around to scan the crowd of people seated along the sun deck. Korra might have missed her in those casual clothes and sunglasses if it weren't for the obvious way she averted her gaze, studying the menu in her hand with purpose.

"Lin?"

Lin didn't look up.

Korra stepped closer, waving her hands excitedly, "Lin! Hey!"

Still, Lin continued scanning the menu, slouching down in her wicker chair slightly.

Korra rolled her eyes. A handsome man seated across from Lin at their table for two turned in his seat raising his eyebrows at Korra before turning back, "Lin? Someone is trying to get your attention."

"Hm?" she hummed from behind the menu.

Korra approached, sidling up along the small metal bannister that separated the walkway from the dining area.

"Hi Beifong," Korra stated plainly, now standing an unavoidable two feet away.

Finally, Lin's menu dipped, "Korra."

Lin's companion smiled in recognition, "Avatar Korra?"

Korra nodded, pushing off the bannister to reach over and shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you…uhh…" she led, looking to Lin for guidance.

Lin sighed in resignation, "Korra this is my…this is Kazuo. Kaz, this is Avatar Korra."

Lin's Kazuo was a particularly handsome man, with broad shoulders and great bone structure. In presentation he was polished; his thick dark hair was held perfectly in place by pomade, his facial hair pristinely maintained. There was something cosmopolitan about him, even in his casual clothes- he was the type of distinguished man Korra associated with this rather fanciful mode of travel- sophisticated and refined. What on earth he was doing seated across from Lin, Korra didn't know- but she did want to find out.

He was amiable too, chuckling at Lin's tone, "A pleasure to meet you, Avatar. I've heard a lot about you."

Korra smiled, biting back a comment about having never heard a word about him, "You have? All good things, I hope!"

Kazuo nodded, "Not just from Lin, but you've certainly been keeping the press busy! It seems I read something new about you every morning over breakfast."

Korra pulled a face, "Oh, maybe not so great then."

He waved her concern off with a light laugh, "You're single-handedly keeping them employed, not to mention alive, I should think they'd have nothing but nice things to say!"

Her demeanor shifted and her back straightened proudly, encouraged by his kind words, "I know, right?"

He gave her one authoritative nod of agreement and she smiled, glancing between them slyly, "So…what are you guys up to?"

Lin gave her an obvious look, just over the rim of her sunglasses, "Having lunch, Korra," there was a pause, "You?"

Undeterred by Lin's snippy response Korra shrugged, "Looking for something to do."

"On this ship?" Kazuo interjected, "It would probably easier to list the activities they don't offer."

"Mmm," Korra agreed, "yeah, but it seems like they all require a partner."

"You're traveling alone?" Kazuo wondered; voice tinged with sympathy.

Korra nodded.

"Well then, why don't you join us?" He continued, as Lin's eyes went wide across the table.

"I don't think Korra wants to spend her holiday with us," Lin excused hastily, flashing him a significant look.

"I'm not spending it with anyone else!" Korra reminded her.

It was clear that one half of this table did not want her there, but the other half was charming and handsome and willingly spending his free time with Beifong- the mystery of it all was more than enough to capture Korra's curiosity.

"I'll get you a chair," Kazuo agreed, pulling a chair from a nearby table as Korra walked around the barricade into the dining area. As she approached she saw Lin lean in to urgently whisper something at Kazuo who returned her concerns with what appeared to be amusement.

By the time Korra reached them, Lin had composed herself and gone back to examining her menu. Kazuo offered her the chair, pushing it in gently as she sat.

"Thank you."

"Of course," he told her, taking his seat again.

Korra chanced a look at Lin, "I hope I'm not interrupting," she fibbed.

"Not at all," Kazuo replied. Lin said nothing. "You arrived just in time. We haven't put in our orders yet."

He passed Korra a menu just as the waitress arrived. Korra put in her order last, a large banh mi with everything. The waitress departed with their orders and their menus, leaving Lin nothing to hide behind. Without it, she moved onto studying the beads of condensation slipping down the side of her water glass.

"So, headed to the Fire Nation on official Avatar business?" Kazuo ventured.

Korra swallowed nervously- though his question was innocent she found herself sweating the answer, "No… I'm actually just stopping over there for a day before heading home to the South Pole to visit my family."

She settled on this response, scant on detail but technically true.

"Only a day?" Kazuo gaped, "I'd recommend you stay longer if you can- a day isn't nearly enough time to explore Fire Fountain City. Or have you been there before?"

Korra gave him a sheepish grin, "No, first time. I haven't actually spent much time in the Fire Nation."

Kazuo shook his head in playful disappointment, "You should."

"Are you from Fire Fountain?"

He gave her a nod, "Close. I'm actually from a village outside of the city- tiny place though- even people in Fire Fountain would have trouble finding it on a map."

Korra laughed, "Sounds like where I grew up."

"But probably warmer," he supplied light-heartedly.

"True!"

Korra paused looking between Kazuo and Lin, "So…if you're from the Fire Nation how do you two know each other?"

Lin piped up suddenly, "Through work."

Judging by the look on Kazuo's face, he found Lin's answer to be somewhat humorous. He watched her a moment before adding, "I was in Republic City campaigning for the Fire Nation Council seat- back when there was a Council- and my opponent introduced us at City Hall."

"Oh. You're a politician?"

Kazuo nodded before continuing, "Although I don't think we really got to talking until that reception at the Embassy, right Lin? Then we ended up going out to dinner and-"

Lin drew a breath, looking just past his shoulder, "Our food is coming," she told them, indicating the approaching waitress. Korra's line of questioning was effectively dropped, but her curiosity about them continued on throughout lunch. She wasn't quite sure what to make of this arrangement.

The rest of the conversation passed primarily between Korra and Kazuo. The most Lin contributed was scoffing, "What office?" when Kazuo joked about having to drag her away from it. To be fair, Kuvira's spirit ray had effectively quartered Police Headquarters, leaving Lin with a makeshift base of operations for the last few months as reconstruction was underway. Though the subject matter was rather serious, Kazuo managed to keep the atmosphere light as he asked about her battle with Kuvira and the opening of the Spirit Portal in the heart of downtown. He was easy to talk to and Korra was grateful for the distraction. This was much preferred to puttering about the ship alone and over thinking her visit home, even if the price was Beifong staring daggers.

It didn't help matters when Kazuo finished lunch by extending another invitation to join them in skeet shooting off the stern of the ship. Though Korra wasn't sure what skeet shooting was, she wasn't about to turn down the offer, much to Lin's rather visible disappointment.

As the three of them proceeded to the aft of the ship, Kazuo explained the game, which was really just a test of marksmanship. Clay discs would be fired off at the edge of the boat and the goal was to take aim and shatter the disc before it hit the water. For earthbenders, this could be accomplished with another clay disc, for everyone else there were shotguns.

Korra elected to earthbend her discs, missing her first two shots. Lin fared better, stomping one foot and sending her discs forward with precision. With shotgun in hand, Kazuo took aim and missed. Twice.

"Ouch," Lin teased as she stepped up for her next round.

Kazuo's eyebrows jumped playfully, "Oh? Trash talking me? Want to try using this instead of bending? Even out the playing field?"

Lin shook her head, shooting her disc forward, "Sounds like an excuse."

Kazuo laughed, looking to Korra, "Unbelievable."

Korra smiled in return, agreeing that it was rather unbelievable to hear Beifong actually_ joking_ with someone. Lin had displayed more playfulness in the last two minutes than she ever had in the previous five years Korra had known her.

Never one to be left out of the fun, Korra stepped forward, "I'll try the shotgun."

Kazuo flashed a smug grin in Lin's direction, "What a good sport!" he walked over, passing the gun to Korra. "Hold it up a little, square your shoulders," he advised, giving her a quick lesson in how it worked.

She fired off a shot, missing her target, "Dammit."

"Harder than it looks?" Kazuo asked. Korra glanced back at Lin to confirm, "It really is."

Lin sighed, stepping forward, "Alright, I'll try it."

Korra passed her the gun and Kazuo came to her side, giving the same directions he'd given to Korra, but at much closer range. He slid both arms around her helping to position the gun, tapping her ankle with his foot to widen her stance. She gently nudged him away with her elbow either out of embarrassment or annoyance, Korra couldn't be sure.

"Are you really trying to give me pointers?"

Kazuo let go of her, taking a step back, "Alright then Professor, show us how it's done."

The disc was fired along with Lin's shot.

She missed it by a mile. What she didn't miss was the vindicated laughter of her partners. Kazuo nudged a giggling Korra before calling out, "Wow! You should give lessons!"

Lin re-loaded the barrel, taking her shooting stance again without dignifying his needling with a response. She held the gun up again and Kazuo advised a bit more genuinely, "Baby! Hold it against your shoulder!"

Lin's head swiveled around to glare at him, cheeks flushing red. Unfazed by Lin's glower, Kazuo simply mimed the positioning of her shotgun, tapping the inside of his own shoulder to indicate the proper placement. Korra watched the non-verbals with amusement, finally able to put a pin on what was going on here. The use of a pet name like 'baby' especially in reference to an imposing figure like Lin, left no doubt in Korra's mind that they were most certainly a couple.

"It'll kick back at you if you hold out too far," Kazuo warned just as Lin fired her next shot. The bullet sailed quite a ways clear of the disc, but the butt of the gun did manage to get her right in the collarbone. She froze momentarily, processing the pain of the recoil. Steeling her face, Lin passed the shotgun back to Kazuo who attempted to examine her out of concern, only to have his hand batted away. He took her dismissal in his stride, simply commenting, "you should put ice on that" before loading for his next shot.

"Its fine," Lin insisted, retreating to where Korra stood and folding her arms without a word.

"Kinda tough, huh?" Korra sympathized.

"Mm," Lin agreed, watching Kazuo fire off his next shot. They stood in silence and Kazuo reloaded. Korra rocked back on her heels slightly, looking between Kazuo and Lin significantly. Lin pretended not to notice.

Korra decided that watching Lin attempt to keep her at a professional distance with someone as familiar as Kazuo hanging around was quickly becoming her favorite maritime activity. It was an activity which persisted throughout the day as Korra joined them in exploring all the ship had to offer. An enthusiastic Kazuo led them both from deck to deck, opening doors for Korra and guiding a reluctant Lin through them with one hand at the small of her back.

Though Korra had gotten a glimpse of some of these amenities the previous evening, Kazuo was proving to be a much more entertaining tour guide. They went past a large library, an opulent theater for the latest movers to be screened, several lounges and bars- stopping for a few drinks at the latter so that Korra could try her very first cocktail. It was quite a departure from the fermented grain drinks she'd nipped off her father once upon a time- these were decidedly stronger and more flavorful- they also went a long way in improving Lin's mood, which didn't hurt! Before long she was actually participating in the conversation even if it was only to deny that she used bending to help her hit her targets earlier.

It was late afternoon, sun glowing low on the horizon, before their trio parted ways in order to prepare for the evening. Kazuo assured Korra he would save her a seat in the Grand Dining Room for dinner, suggesting the three of them take in a screening of the latest mover, a dramatic film titled _The Goddess_ following their meal.

Korra happily agreed, grateful for his continued inclusiveness before heading back to her room still lightly buzzed from the afternoon. She had two hours to prepare, which seemed rather excessive until she started dressing. Thirty minutes of it was comprised of simply figuring out how to put on her formal attire. She put her head through the shoulder holes more than once, crisscrossed the clasps in the back, and tore her slip; but after much twisting and negotiating with the universe, Korra was dressed.

She admired her hard work in the long mirror provided on the back of the cabin door- winking at herself a couple times and practicing her dinner conversation aloud.

"Yes, hello…Avatar Korra," she held out one hand to her reflection with half lidded eyes, "How do you do? Oh yes, the scallops are to die for! I'll have a glass of red, thank you." Feeling fancy, she ran through multiple scenarios with herself including how to gracefully field the praise from adoring Republic City residents.

Eventually, her mirror rehearsal began to devolve into nothing but pulling strange faces before she caught her reflection, sobering slightly to say "Mom, Dad. I need to tell you something…." she paused, "you know how you didn't really like me dating boys at first? Well, I have some good news…"

She cleared her throat, starting over, "Mom. Dad. Have you noticed that Asami is, like, really good looking? Because I have."

Korra took a breath, cocking her hip to stand casually, "How are things going here in the South Pole? Oh good. Me? Yeah, just been stopping dictators, rebuilding the city, kissing girls."

A melancholy laugh escaped her crooked grin and she looked away a moment, blinking back tears. Looking up she caught her own gaze; eyes wet with sobriety and anxiousness, " Mom. Dad…I hope you still love me."

She sighed, wiping at her eyes with a sniffle. Korra was not a coward. There was no opponent too terrifying, no task too challenging, no risk too harrowing for her to face and yet here she was- falling to pieces at the mere prospect of simply being honest with her parents. It was an overwhelming feeling.

She only let it consume her for a moment more before the tableside clock chimed, shaking her out of her fearful thoughts. She blew her nose, wiped her eyes, and forced a smile before heading out the door for the Dining Room.

Korra took the elevator down to C Deck. The gates opened on a spectacularly large room with a wide, plush stairway leading down to a reception area that was chock full of people in formal dress, smoking cigarettes in holders, sipping their drinks and enjoying conversation. At the far end of the room was an enormous gilded entryway into the dining room; two towering art deco doors closed it away from the masses.

Korra looked around, unsure how to proceed. Her instinct told her to find a line, but there was none to be found. A young man carrying a tray of drinks paused to ask, "Champagne?"

Korra's eyebrows jumped, "No, sorry. I didn't order it."

"Its complementary, Miss."

She blushed, taking a glass from his tray, "Well…in that case." He gave her a quick bow, but before he could depart she stopped him, "Hey! Uh… how does this work?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Is there like a counter to put your order in? Is there assigned seating?"

He smiled, "First time, huh?" She gave him a nod so he continued, "seating is assigned. You'll just have to track down the head of your table. I'm sure they're milling about down here somewhere."

"Thanks," she replied, disappointed. There were hundreds of people in this expansive lounge. Korra tentatively began navigating her way toward the dining room looking around for any sign of Lin or Kazuo. She was halfway through the crowd when she heard Kazuo call out her name. Turning once, she finally spotted her newest friend among a small group of people, waving her over.

He was impeccably dressed, as she had already come to expect, standing beside Lin who looked elegant in a black evening gown, sipping her drink. He held one arm out to usher her into their circle, introducing Korra to the group. There were two men, the older of which was called Dai; he was a lawyer for the Fire Nation Royal Family- his waifish wife, Akiko, stood quietly beside him looking fragile enough to snap with a handshake so Korra elected to give her a quick bow instead. The younger man, Shin, was Dai's dapper up-and-coming apprentice.

They all seemed eager to greet Korra, but after a few polite questions about her trip the conversation quickly went back to talking business and Korra stepped back to sip her drink beside Lin.

Korra looked around the circle a bit before turning to Lin, "So…these are your friends?"

Lin side-eyed her incredulously in lieu of replying.

Korra sighed, waiting a moment before continuing, "Thanks for letting me sit with you guys."

Lin's expression softened ever so slightly, "No problem." Lin lifted her glass to her lips disguising her mouth in order to quietly mutter, "Though you may not be thanking us later. Dai is boring and he talks even more than Kaz."

Korra's face brightened genuinely, feeling rather honored to be brought into her confidence after a day of unrelenting stoicism. Korra mimicked Lin's subversive technique by lifting her own glass to offer what she intended to be a witty reply, until the bubbles of the champagne danced right out of her glass and into her nose, coaxing out an embarrassing sneeze. The contents of her glass were expelled by the force of it, covering her face and neckline entirely.

The surrounding conversation halted as everyone turned to stare, excepting Lin who only appeared exasperated by Korra's ineptitude. Kazuo quickly produced a handkerchief, passing it to Korra with a smile, "Whoa there, I thought this was your first glass?" he ribbed.

Korra laughed lightly, declining his offer and bending the moisture out of her clothing with a blush, "I'll try to keep my dinner to myself- I promise!" Everyone chuckled at her humility just as the dining room doors were opened revealing an even more extensive space lined by classic frescos in gold leaf, which depicted scenes old Earth Kingdom mythologies and sparkling chandeliers that illuminated the cavernous room romantically.

Their group filed in with the rest, finding their table in short order. Korra was surprised to find her nameplate for herself written in fine calligraphy, placed just between Beifong and Shin.

As it turned out Lin was not exaggerating her claims of Dai's complete lack of charisma, but it hardly mattered to Korra who reveled in course after course of delicious foods she couldn't pronounce. Throughout it all, Kazuo did his best to keep everyone engaged and awake, shaking things up by telling the occasional off-color joke.

As dessert was cleared, the band began to play- enticing couples out onto the dance floor. Kazuo leaned back in his chair, draping one arm over the back of Lin's, "What do you say?"

She shook her head, rubbing her abdomen lightly, "No thank you, I need to digest a little."

"The film is going to start soon- if we don't dance now, we're going to miss out on it entirely."

"I can live with that," she deadpanned.

Undeterred he turned his attention to Korra, "How about you, Korra? Would you like to get a little dancing in before the mover?"

Korra glanced at Lin for approval only to find Lin looking to her just as expectantly as Kazuo, "Yeah, I'd love to."

Without hesitation Kazuo stood, holding out one hand to Korra. He led her out onto the dance floor where she felt the need to disclaim, "I don't really know any steps."

He shrugged, "you don't need to, just follow my lead."

Resting one hand respectfully above her waist he began to guide them both through the motions as the music spurred them on.

"Did you enjoy dinner?" he asked.

"Oh yes, everyone was very nice," she replied. He looked down at her skeptically, "you know half the point of coming out to the dance floor is to be where the music is loud enough that people won't hear you talk about how boring they were."

Korra relented with a smile, "Okay, the conversation was a little dry, but the food was good."

He nodded in agreement, turning. He caught a glimpse of their table in doing so, "Oh no, I think I may have stepped on Shin's toes by asking you to dance."

They turned again and she met Shin's eyes, which quickly looked away, "Oh. Really?"

"Mhmm. I saw him give you some significant looks around the fourth course," Kazuo informed, raising his eyebrows a bit.

"Oh…" Korra began, "well it doesn't really matter. I'm actually seeing someone."

Kazuo ticked his head thoughtfully, "I'm surprised the papers haven't gotten wind of that!"

Korra could feel her heart begin to thud forcefully against her rib cage, unsure how to respond. She could feel the first chill of a cold sweat at her hairline before snapping back to her senses to deflect his comment.

"Speaking of which," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat, "I don't mean to be offensive, but I have known Lin for a couple years now and never heard of you until this morning."

Kazuo smiled, "Korra, I promise, you couldn't possibly offend me. As for the rest," he shook his head unperturbed, "Lin is a very private person."

Korra nodded her agreement, wondering if something as simple as valuing privacy would be enough reason for her to give Asami. She looked up at Kazuo, "That doesn't bother you?"

"Not at all. In fact, I like that about her," he explained, "I'm not sure if you noticed but I can be a little… candid. It's probably best if one of us has a sense of propriety."

A light laugh bubbled out of Korra, "I guess it is all about keeping a balance," she agreed, "though to be honest I never would have suspected Beifong to be dating someone like you," she ticked her head, "Or…anyone for that matter."

Kazuo chuckled, "I know she seems stand-offish…and she is," he admitted, "but there is a lot more to her than that. She's ambitious, motivated, beautiful- the total package, really. All tied up with a neat little bow that is probably scowling about something, but still- you get the point."

Korra smiled up at him, teasing "sounds like someone's in love!"

Kazuo laughed, "Hey, I'm not here to deny anything." He glanced over her shoulder and pulled a face, "Oh…looks like Dai roped her into a conversation."

Korra sucked her teeth sympathetically, "yikes."

Entirely focused on whatever was happening over Korra's shoulder, Kazuo commented, "I guess that's what she gets for staying at the table. Rookie mistake." He watched for a beat more before sighing, "We'd better launch a rescue mission. The mover is going to start soon anyway."

Korra agreed, letting go of his hand, "An Avatar's work is never done."

He laughed, bowing slightly, "thank you for an enjoyable dance."

"The pleasure was all mine!"

They made it over to the table to find Dai droning on about the differences in the laws of the Republic and the laws of the Fire Nation.

"I hate to break up this symposium of law and order, but our mover is going to be starting any minute," Kazuo announced as they approached. He smiled at Dai, placing one hand on Lin's shoulder to say, "I'm afraid I've got to steal your cohort, Dai. I do hope you can forgive me."

Dai gave him a slow smile, "Of course, of course. We'd love to join you but all that motion on the screen makes Akiko's head spin. I'm afraid these modernizations are just too much for us."

"Say no more," Kazuo insisted amiably, though Korra suspected he meant it quite literally, "we'll see you for dinner tomorrow."

He made his way around the table to shake the hands of the men and to drop a kiss to the back of Akiko's hand while Korra and Lin stood back a bit offering nothing more than a weak wave as they departed.

Lin exhaled gratefully as they made their way out of the Dining Room, telling Kazuo, "I was pinching my leg to stay awake."

"Should have pinched his," Kazuo returned, "given him a little something to dream about."

Lin shook her head, though Korra caught a hint of a smile on her face, "Shut up."

Their interaction gave Korra something to smile about too. She observed their back and forth all the way into the cavernous theater- considering that perhaps it was possible to have a relatively healthy romance without having to make formal announcements to everyone. Perhaps, she and Lin had more in common that she had initially believed. Perhaps Korra was simply a private person in the public eye learning how maintain a little propriety. If someone as outgoing as Kazuo could accept this, it would stand to reason that levelheaded Asami would certainly come around in time.

Soon, the lights dimmed and the screen lit up, displaying a title card that read "The Goddess: A Varrick Global Industries Production." Beside her, Kazuo scoffed lightly. Korra gave him a curious look to which he responded in a casual whisper, "I fucking hate that guy." The film began running; accompanied by a small orchestra, blocking any further investigation into _that _story, but the storyline of the mover itself quickly gained Korra's attention.

It was a dramatic tale of an innocent woman forced into a life of crime and prostitution in order to provide for her young son. It starred one of the first convincing mover actresses Korra had seen- following her from one pitfall to the next until she winds up murdering one of her johns with a brick. When her son's school principal discovers all she's done he interrogates her mercilessly, calling her many hurtful things in the process: whore, thief, murderer.

The thing that stuck with Korra, however was her response,

"_Yes, I have done terrible things. I have lied, gambled, stolen, murdered and even lain with a woman! But everything I have done, I have done for my child. If you must turn me in, please tell him I have died. He must never know my shame."_

By the time the time the scene ended, Korra was sure she was on the verge of an overwhelming panic. Of all the transgressions, she couldn't help but notice that being with a woman was placed at the apex of this character's shame- a woman who had just bashed in someone's head with a brick.

Korra pitched forward in her seat.

She was acutely aware that she had to get out of this theater as quickly as possible, or risk crying her eyes out in front of everyone. Her sudden movement captured Kazuo's attention; Lin however, was fast asleep on the other side of him, head resting against his shoulder.

"I'm…I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?" Korra whispered as calmly as possible, though anxiety was quickly closing in.

Kazuo shook his head, "I'm fine," he whispered before turning to Lin's dozing face to humorously ask, "Anything for you? Popcorn? A pillow? No? Okay." Lacking any reply he turned back to Korra, "She's fine."

Korra forced a smile, nodding once before shimmying her way out of the aisle. The tears were already pouring by the time she reached the public bathroom. She breezed in, shocking the attendant enough to drop her basket of mints. At this point, Korra was unable to hold her emotions in and a body-wracking sob escaped. The attendant politely exited the restroom, closing the door softly.

One thing repeated in her mind;_ I can't do this_. The first time she kissed Asami it didn't feel this complicated. The secrecy, anxiety, and fear hadn't even entered her mind- she was far too high on love to care about these things at the time. Their time away in the Spirit World had been magical, but returning to the real world felt different; the first time Asami tried to hold her hand back in Republic City a pit sank in Korra's stomach and it had only grown since. She could feel it now, nauseating her as she tried to steady her breathing.

The panic in her was overwhelming, and still the pain of it was comparable to the pain in Asami's eyes when Korra had withdrawn her hand sharply months ago. Korra was unable to decide which was the more unbearable scenario and she splashed her face with water from the sink tap in an attempt to gain some clarity. She let out a long breath, dabbing her face dry with a towel. She felt light-headed, a symptom probably compounded by the champagne from dinner. Inhaling deeply, Korra decided then and there she would need to meditate this feeling away. Taking the attendant's vacated seat, she did her best to sit in a lotus position in her gown; closing her eyes to focus- just the way Tenzin taught her.

Unfortunately, the mere thought of Tenzin caused her to dissolve into tears again- worried about how his opinion of her may change if he were to discover the secret of her unconventional feelings for Asami. Head in her hands, she cried it out for a further five minutes before composing herself. She splashed her face again, squaring her shoulders and blinking back any tears before exiting the restroom, eyes red and swollen.

She returned to her seat, grateful to the darkness of the theater for disguising her ruddy complexion. She sat without making eye contact, though she did catch Kazuo giving her a curious glance in the periphery of her vision. That was about the time she realized she hadn't returned with anything to drink. If he noticed, he was too polite to mention it. The film was nearing its end, without much redemption for the fallen protagonist who had been imprisoned at some point during Korra's absence.

When the lights came up Korra stood quickly, making her way to the aisle without a word. Kazuo and Lin took a moment longer as he had to lightly jostle her awake before joining Korra at the exit.

"Well, that was depressing," Kazuo commented with a light laugh, "good, but depressing."

Lin took one look at Korra's red-rimmed eyes and raw cheeks before replying, "A tear-jerker, hmm?"

Kazuo looked between them quickly, "Seemed like quite a few people crying at the end there," he interjected before looking to Korra conspiratorially and adding in a low voice, "Don't worry- nobody could hear it over the snoring."

A moment of alarm crossed Lin's features before Kazuo assured her with a hand at her back, "I'm kidding."

Korra let out a small sigh of relief as they entered the elevator, eternally thankful for Kazuo's quick wit and discretion.

They parted finally outside of the Beifong Suite. Korra gave them a light wave and expressed her gratitude for being allowed to tag along. A nap appeared to have done wonders for Lin's mood because she accepted Korra's thanks by giving her a nod and saying, "See you tomorrow, Korra."

Korra continued down the hall to her own cabin alone. Her body entirely drained, she stepped inside feeling exhausted and defeated. After wrestling her way back out of her formal gown she slipped into bed- finding Asami's love note right where she had left it.

Tears and uncertainty ebbed and flowed from her like the sea waves that carried her closer to her fate. Sleep was elusive and by the time the first light of morning shone through her window Korra wasn't sure if she'd had more than two consecutive hours of it.

Restless, she rose, slipping on her casual clothes to make her way out to the lowest and most expansive deck onboard. She made her way around the perimeter of the ship in slow mindless laps, palming the outer railing as she walked. There were only a few souls out wandering as early as she- enjoying the coolness of morning before the sun reached its highest point.

A group of people gathered in one spot along the railing threatened to interrupt her path. They were all facing outward- looking to something in the distance. Korra joined them, noting bitterly that the crowd was mainly comprised of couples- entirely _uncomplicated_ couples. She followed their line of sight to find a school of elephant koi putting on quite a show about two klicks out.

They kept pace with the ship, cresting the water occasionally to the amusement of the other passengers. They were an undeniably beautiful sight, but Korra just couldn't get excited about anything with so much weighing on her mind.

She turned away, resting her elbows on the railing and looking to the window of her cabin a few decks up to wonder if she should return to her bed in order to spend the remainder of her day staring at the ceiling and trying to decide if it would be easier to disappoint her family or Asami.

A little ways to the right she spotted Kazuo, shirtless, sporting a Captain's hat, and puffing on a pipe. She let out small laugh of amusement at the sight of him, grateful to have made an ally of such a character on this trip at the very least. He appeared to be watching the elephant koi too from the private balcony of the Beifong Suite, a feature that she petulantly noted was absent from her own cabin. He turned slightly, beckoning Lin out to join him. She came to his side, squinting to see the elephant koi in the distance. Something he said made her laugh and he lifted the hat from his head, placing it on Lin after a playful struggle to stay his efforts.

Then, they kissed.

Korra rolled her eyes, groaning. There was something seriously imbalanced in the world when Beifong's romantic life was running more smoothly than her own. It felt as if she'd been thrust into some cruel alternate universe. She pushed off the railing with a pout, heading back up to her cabin after all.

She had never felt so utterly alone as in this moment- adrift in every sense of the word. She wished desperately for someone to talk to about this maelstrom of emotion churning inside her, but her options onboard were slim and required a level of honesty she was shrinking further away from by the minute.

When she had initially set out on this journey, coming out was a foregone conclusion. Now, she wasn't sure she could manage it- even at the expense of the person who made her happiest. Emotionally exhausted, sleep overtook her suddenly and without warning.

* * *

Korra was startled awake later that evening by the sound of the ships' horn blaring. She shot out of bed, disoriented. One look out the window told her she'd slept the entire day away and that their ship had entered some pretty dense fog. The clock on the wall told her she had less than twenty minutes to dress for dinner.

Her neglected stomach growled urgently and so she scrambled to get ready, scrubbing her face and brushing her teeth before making a run for the elevator; evening gown still partially unclasped.

The elevator attendant watched her struggle with the clasps in wide-eyed silence as they descended to the Grand Dining Room. When they arrived, Korra shot forward punching a button to stall the doors opening.

She turned to the attendant, "Listen, can you clasp this last thingy back here?"

He stared at her.

Korra's voice cracked, "Look, I have had a really rough day, buddy. Can you just do me this one favor?! Please."

His eyes widened before stepping around her and clasping her last strap. Korra cleared her throat, "Thank you…and I apologize." She reached forward, releasing the hold on the doors. The attendant pulled the gate open for her and she exited, head held high.

At the end of the hall Korra could see that most of the tables and begun to fill, but she spotted the wandering waiter from last night and made a beeline for him- lifting two glasses of champagne from his tray without a word and downing them both in quick succession.

She marched forward into the Dining Room with a heady confidence she'd been lacking moments earlier. Everyone was seated in the same spots as the previous evening, though Korra regretfully noted she was the only one in the same outfit.

"Korra!" Kazuo greeted jovially, "We were beginning to wonder if you'd been lost at sea."

She smiled, taking her seat and mumbling an excuse about a nap that ran a bit too long.

Beside her, Shin winked, "Well, I'm certainly glad you were able to make it."

She gave him a nervous laugh in return, catching Kazuo's eye to exchange a knowing look of dismay. Their waiter arrived promptly to take drink orders. Still relatively unsure of her options and looking for something to relax her further, Korra opted to echo Lin's order.

Her first sip was an unpleasant surprise; particularly considering Lin's face remained passive while drinking her own glass.

Korra gagged, throat stinging and eyes watering, "What is in this? Some kind of deadly ether?"

While the rest of the table chuckled at her comment, Lin factually added, "and lime."

Though the taste of it was a bit jarring, Korra managed to consume it throughout the course of her meal, finding herself rewarded for her discipline with a warm and giddy feeling. She was laughing freely and even finding interest in what Dai had to say- a pleasant departure from her earlier turmoil. Lin, who was a good two drinks ahead, didn't seem quite as bubbly, but was notably chattier than usual.

When their main course arrived, something Kazuo said caught Korra's attention, "Isn't this the same thing we had at Su's last time?"

Lin nodded, "I think so."

Korra leaned forward, looking around Lin to ask, "Wait. You know Su?"

Kazuo nodded enthusiastically, "I love Su!"

Korra sat back, mildly annoyed to have been misled about how private their affair really was. Worse still, was the hint of guilt she felt for considering that kind of secrecy a viable option for her and Asami after promising her the opposite. She supposed, at the very least, her family should know…

"Have you met Toph?" Korra followed.

Kazuo glanced at Lin quickly, "No, I haven't."

Lin and Korra replied in unison, "Keep it that way."

And suddenly, Korra felt their kinship restored.

Dinner continued, markedly more relaxed than the previous evening. As expected the band began to play as soon as the dessert plates were being collected. Couples took to the floor and Korra turned her body toward Lin and Kazuo in an effort to deter Shin from requesting her hand.

Kazuo was in less of a hurry to get out there this evening and instead produced a weathered and worn cigarette case from his breast pocket. It was distinctly old and out of fashion, something that clashed with everything Korra had come to know about her new friend.

He held it out to her offering, "Korra?"

She shook her head politely. Though smoking was widely popular in Republic City- even Mako had taken up the habit- where she came from it was something reserved only for the men of the tribe.

To her surprise Lin reached for one, placing it between her red lips as Kazuo quickly produced a book of matches to light it for her.

"Beifong, I didn't know you smoked," Korra commented, eyebrows raised.

Lin shifted uncomfortably, "I don't usually," she replied, inhaling with ease.

Behind her, Kazuo looked humorously skeptical. Finally, he lit his own cigarette, setting the old case on the table.

"Vintage?" Korra asked, indicating the case with a nod.

"Mm," he confirmed, "it was my father's."

"Aw, that's ni—" her comment was cut short by the tap on her shoulder. Swallowing, she turned to find Shin, standing and holding his hand out, "Avatar Korra, would you like to dance?"

Korra smiled awkwardly, "Umm…sure I guess."

He bowed, accepting her hand into his own. They made their way out to the floor and Korra was grateful to arrive during a relatively upbeat number. She discovered quite quickly that Shin wasn't nearly as awful as she'd imagined. He readily admitted to being particularly reserved in the presence of his mentor, Dai. The Shin she got to know on the dance floor had a great sense of humor and was well versed in the subject of pro-bending- something that made them fast friends.

Korra noted their table had been vacated, catching sight of Dai and his wife turning slowly in spite of the up-tempo music. She spotted Lin and Kazuo dancing as well- her eye was likely drawn to the unusual sight of Lin laughing- something she'd only ever seen happen in the past twenty four hours.

When the song changed, Korra elected to continue dancing as she and Shin had just got around to chatting about her stint with the Fire Ferrets. They continued this way for quite some time, talking player stats and prospects for the upcoming season, going on long enough that Korra noticed her buzz was beginning to fade. Shin must have been thinking the same thing because when the song concluded he asked, "Would you like another drink?"

"I wouldn't mind one," Korra laughed and Shin echoed her.

"I'll go get us some and meet you back at the table?"

"Sounds good," Korra agreed.

Korra made her way through the crowded dance floor and back to the table to find Lin and Kazuo had also returned to sip their drinks and share a cigarette. She fell into her chair unceremoniously with a content sigh, "my feet are starting to hurt."

"How are things going with Shin?" Kazuo quipped.

"Actually not bad," Korra laughed in reply. Kazuo raised an eyebrow so she quickly qualified her statement, "Oh, but not _that_ good."

He turned to Lin, "Unfortunately for Shin, Korra has a sweetheart back in Republic City," he explained, cluing her into their conversation.

Lin took a drag of her cigarette, "Hm."

Though Korra's buzz had already been on its way out- Kazuo's statement had given it a quick eviction. She sobered immediately, heart pounding as she waited for Lin to say something more.

"Have you broken the news to Shin?" Kazuo wondered with a light laugh, plucking the cigarette from Lin's hand. Korra stared at him blankly, the sound of her heartbeat filling her ears enough to drown out the music.

Without a reply Kazuo leaned in to clarify, "About your boyfriend, I mean?"

Korra was sure the contents of her stomach were preparing to make an exit should she open her mouth, so instead she shook her head vigorously as her breath grew shorter and shorter.

"What was his name? Did you tell me his name?" Kazuo asked, looking skyward thoughtfully.

Tears began to pool at the corner of Korra's eyes and before she knew it, the words were tumbling out of her mouth, "Asami! Her name is Asami Sato!"

Kazuo and Lin both went wide-eyed at her confession, though it perhaps had more to do with the volume of it than the content.

Just then Shin approached, setting their glasses down as Korra finished shouting her admission, "I'm dating a girl! And I love her!"

Without a word Shin nodded, picked up his own drink, and made his exit.

A tense silence settled over the three remaining at the table as Korra's hands shook nervously.

Kazuo broke the silence first, telling her sincerely with one hand on his heart, "I should apologize, Korra. That was probably obvious and I completely missed it, I'm very sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

An apology was the last thing she expected receive. Her hands stopped shaking, though her nerves remained on edge.

She drew a breath, "No. It's all right. I didn't say. In fact I've never said it out loud until just now."

Kazuo listened intently, nodding. Lin took this opportunity to take the cigarette back.

"I've been terrified to say it out loud," Korra continued, "to be honest I've been a total wreck about it this entire trip. I'm supposed to tell my parents when I get to the South Pole, but I don't know if I can. I'm the Avatar, I'm not supposed to shy away from things that scare me, but I've been completely preoccupied- worrying about how everyone will react," she looked to Lin, "…Or not react…Lin, you still haven't said anything."

Kazuo looked to Lin who blew out a puff of smoke before answering, "seems to me that your personal life should be your business."

Korra chewed her lip, unsatisfied by her response. Kazuo's eyes flicked between them before he interjected, "I think, Lin, that Korra is asking for your thoughts on the issue."

Lin pulled a face, "why does it matter what I think?"

He gave her a critical look, "because she's asking you."

"Then my thoughts would be that it isn't my place to comment."

Kazuo stared at her, blinking slowly, bewildered by her cluelessness. He exhaled, speaking in clear, measured words, "she is specifically asking you what you think."

Lin shrugged at him, looking slightly confused before turning to Korra to say, "…I think you should consider getting a publicist."

Kazuo's mouth dropped open. Korra could feel her eyes stinging- the media fallout was the last thing she wanted to think about in this moment of vulnerability. A few tears spilled over the brim of her eyelids, skating down her face. The sight of them prompted Lin to continue in what she seemed to believe was a helpful tone, "For the press, I mean. They are merciless so it's best if you're prepared for-" Kazuo's shaking head caught her attention and she paused, "What? I'm just saying I don't care. Nobody cares-"

"-In a good way," Kazuo qualified hastily on her behalf.

"…Yes," Lin agreed, continuing, "except for the press, which is why-"

Just then, the song changed and Kazuo seized the opportunity to save Lin from herself by interrupting, "We should dance."

Lin gave him a puzzled look and he reached over, taking the cigarette from her hand and stubbing it out in the glass ashtray. He stood, tugging her hand, "Come on, I like this song."

She stood; looking mildly put off and Kazuo leaned around her to assure Korra sympathetically, "We'll be right back. Just give us one minute."

Korra nodded, forcing a smile. She watched them disappear amongst the other dancing couples and sighed dejectedly. While the reaction to her confession hadn't been as disastrous as she feared, it hadn't been particularly reassuring either.

Korra looked down at the drink Shin had been kind enough to deliver and groaned, feeling a pang of guilt for his unfortunate timing. She lifted the glass to her mouth, scanning the room to find most everyone enjoying themselves adding to her displaced feeling. She chanced one last look in Lin and Kazuo's direction before deciding to duck out alone.

Korra stood, pushing in her chair before quietly sneaking away to the bank of elevators with her drink in hand. Off to the side of the lifts she spotted a deck exit and took it, stepping out into the cool evening fog. She meandered toward the aft of the boat, lost in thought. At the edge she polished off her drink and climbed the short fence to look over the edge, catching sight of the ship's churning wake through the fog. There was a small space on the other side of this fence, just large enough to fit a single person and Korra decided to occupy it in spite of the cutting wind that chilled her.

She took the lotus position and a deep breath, managing finally to meditate. It was a directionless effort, exactly as she intended. Meditating for meditation's sake. As her mind wandered freely, Asami was all she saw, felt, tasted- the sensation of which warmed her from within.

When the ships horn blared again it sounded distant, barely registering at the edges of her mind. But she did hear it, and she did respond by opening her eyes finally.

At least two hours had passed.

Korra stood, hitching up her skirt to climb her way back over the railing, neglecting to spare a look at the churning sea below. Her muscles had relaxed, imbued with some sense of serenity that she welcomed readily. Her predicament may never be easy, but with the impression of Asami still lingering at the edge of her consciousness- it was one she decided she could face. She made her way back up to the upper deck, feeling light even though the effects of alcohol had completely worn.

Arriving at her floor, Korra stepped from the elevator with a kind smile for the attendant who still seemed rather unnerved by her presence. She walked down the hall, spotting a crowd of young men just outside her room looking frantic. Her face fell.

Yu was among them and he caught her eye first, flashing an apologetic grin. Korra proceeded toward him, uneasy, "What's going on?"

"Avatar Korra," Yu greeted hastily, coming toward with a strained smile, "there has been a little incident in your cabin, but we are working to fix it!"

"Incident?"

He laughed nervously, glancing over his shoulder before replying, "One of the pipes that run along the ceiling burst and your room is… a bit flooded."

Korra smirked, "Sounds like you need a waterbender?"

Yu bit his lip, "and probably some air freshener…it was a sewage pipe."

Any serenity she had disappeared, "Sewage?!" She pushed past him and ran toward her cabin, peeking into the room to find a repulsive smell and the carpet and bed entirely saturated, the papers on the desk waterlogged, and the roses from Asami dripping. Two men in dirtied white undershirts stood atop lightly submerged step stools, wrenching a tiny white pipe, which poked its way out of the ceiling.

Yu sidled up behind her, "We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience, Avatar. We did manage to pull your luggage out," he told her helpfully, pointing out her suitcase resting along the wall in the dry hallway.

Korra put her head in her hands and sighed, "I just wanted to go to sleep…"

Yu gave her an understanding nod, "we are doing our best to find an available cabin…. unfortunately we are fairly booked on this particular voyage…"

Korra's eyes went wide, "Are you telling me I don't have a room?"

Yu sucked his teeth, "Not as of yet, but we will find one! Of course, we will entirely reimburse you for this trip—"

The sound of a door opening down the hall caught their attention. Kazuo stepped out of the Beifong Suite, shrugging his dinner jacket on hastily. Though something about his demeanor said he was on a mission, he chanced a look in Korra's direction and paused.

"Korra!" he exclaimed, taking strides in her direction, "What's…what's going on here?"

"Sewage pipe burst in my room," she explained flatly.

Yu piped up, "but we are hopeful that we can find you a new cabin. Worst case scenario we can house you in our staffing quarters if need be."

Kazuo craned his neck to see the inside of her room and his eyebrows jumped, "Spirits!…why don't you just stay in our room?"

Korra bit her lip, "Thanks but I'm not sure that's a good idea… I feel kind of weird about earlier and-"

Kazuo put up one hand, cutting her off, "Korra, please. We have plenty of space and nothing you said earlier is an issue for us. For either of us."

She smiled softly, "if you're sure she won't be mad."

He laughed, "Don't worry about it, come on."

Yu bowed to him, "Thank you very much, sir."

Korra picked up her suitcase and bent away several little droplets of moisture as she did. She followed Kazuo down the hallway back to the Beifong Suite and he opened the door for her, ushering her in first.

He was not kidding when he said they had the space. The door opened on a spacious and classically decorated sitting room with a couch, table, two chairs, desk, baby grand piano, a vanity with a deco trifold mirror, and of course, two doors that opened to a private balcony.

There were two closed doors at either side of the sitting room and loud music from a gramophone floated in from the one on the right. Kazuo knocked it once, attempting to call over the music, "Lin? Korra's out here in the sitting room."

He pushed his ear to the door and shrugged, turning back around to explain, "I will be right back. I was just on the way out- I think I left my father's cigarette case in the Dining Room."

Korra nodded, "Oh no. Yeah, better get down there."

He agreed, heading back for the door looking slightly frantic, "Go ahead and have a seat I'll be back in just a minute."

"Okay."

The suite door closed. Korra sighed, looking around the sitting room to find all sorts of little winged boar designs hidden throughout the room as the muted sounds of the record played on. She made her way around the sitting room once, peering out the balcony doors and dropping her hand to the piano keys to play out a couple of disjointed notes.

The desk was covered in several neat stacks of paper; comprised mostly of Fire Nation law proposals, correspondence from Fire Nation constituents, and a leather-bound date book that looked so full it made Korra cringe- and here she thought Beifong was the workaholic.

Korra made her way over to the couch, taking a seat to open up her suitcase and check the contents for water damage. Luckily, the interior remained dry and she smiled for this one small victory before closing it up again. Her fingers drummed along the edge of it as she waited patiently, listening to the gramophone play love songs from the other room.

A discordant sound caught her attention and Korra ticked her head to the side curiously to listen. Slowly, it became clear that what she was hearing was Lin's attempt at singing along with the record. Korra pressed her lips together; slapping one hand over her mouth just to ensure her laughter wouldn't creep out. Lin mixed up some lyrics, hummed others, leaving Korra to correctly deduce that she must not have heard Kazuo's earlier warning that the Avatar was just on the other side of her bedroom door.

The bedroom door opened abruptly and the music poured out, along with a humming Lin who breezed right past Korra in a bathrobe without catching sight of her.

Korra froze, horrified.

Lin sang out freely, opening one side of the trifold mirror. She picked up a metal backed brush, running it through her hair before opening the other side to reveal Korra in the reflection just over her shoulder.

It certainly surprised her because she screamed, reflexively launching the brush at her intruder. Korra quickly deflected it, sending it sailing into a large ceramic lamp on the desk, which shattered into a hundred pieces.

"What the ffffuck are you doing in here?" Lin shouted, turning to face her.

Korra stuttered her reply, nervous in spite of how unimposing Lin appeared in her silk bathrobe, "Sorry! My room—flooded -I saw Kaz in the hall—"

Red-faced and seething Lin marched into the other room, wrenching the needle on the gramophone off the record, killing the music. She reappeared a moment later, still steaming.

"Why didn't you announce yourself? What kind of a person just sits there?" she snapped.

Korra shrugged innocently, "You wouldn't have heard me anyway!"

Lin scoffed and so Korra continued, "Look- can you just calm down? I've been having a really rough time and I don't need you yelling at me on top of everything else!"

Lin reeled back a little, "Rough time? You? I left Republic City to get away from your 'rough times' and now here you are at my lunch table, and then my dinner table trying to talk to me about your personal problems and now you're in my room! Half of my job is dealing with your 'rough times' Korra, you'll have to forgive me for expecting a day off from you once in awhile!"

The suite door opened then and Kazuo appeared, holding his cigarette case aloft proudly, "Found it!"

He stepped in registering the scene before him and laughed, "Do I even want to know?"

Lin folded her arms, fixing him with an icy glare.

"Let me guess- you didn't hear me earlier?" he ventured.

"She didn't hear you," Korra confirmed.

"Lin, Korra is in the sitting room," he announced humorously, causing Lin to click her tongue scornfully before rolling her eyes and growling, "I'm going to bed."

She turned on her heel, storming back into the bedroom and slamming the door loudly enough that Korra flinched.

Korra reluctantly met Kazuo's eyes, pleasantly surprised to find he wasn't nearly as jarred by Lin's outburst as she had been.

"I am so sorry," Korra told him in a low voice, crouching to begin gathering the shattered bits of ceramic lamp from the floor, "I'll just clean this up and then go see if Yu was able to find a bed for me."

Kazuo shook his head mirthfully, bending to assist with the clean up, "Nonsense. We've got a whole other bedroom going unused."

Korra gave him a cautious look, "Are you sure you won't be needing it?"

He laughed, dropping a handful of ceramic shards into a wastebasket, "Don't worry about me- her bark is worse than her bite."

Korra was skeptical, but stopped from commenting further. When they finished cleaning up the broken lamp, Kazuo crossed the room, opening a door to reveal a bedroom with two twin beds and a small washroom off to the side. The room was packed with a multitude of traveling trunks and Korra's eyes went wide, "I never would have guessed Lin owned enough outfits to fill even one of these."

Kazuo stepped forward, chucking lightly as he lifted the trunks off the beds, "Oh, these are all mine, " adding incredulously, "I think she only brought one suitcase!"

Korra laughed awkwardly, standing in the doorway with her single suitcase.

Kazuo stacked the trunks along the far wall before turning and smiling, "Alright I think you're all set."

Korra gave him a grateful smile, stepping into the room and setting her suitcase down, "Thank you…for everything."

He gave her a nod, "It's no problem, really." He moved toward the door, pausing briefly to add, "And Korra? For what it's worth, I think you'll find that people are a lot more accepting than you'd think."

Korra smiled, "Thanks, Kaz."

"Goodnight."

"G'nite."

He pulled the door closed on his way out, leaving Korra alone. She washed herself off, slipping into one of the beds falling asleep before her head even reached the pillow.

* * *

Korra woke naturally after a restful sleep. It was early, if the soft light streaming through her window was any indication. Rolling to her side to block it, she discovered a small etching on the side of her nightstand that read "No rest for the wicked! Wei and Wing were here!" and she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Heeding their wisdom, Korra stretched and rose from bed. Today was docking day. She would be seeing Asami in a few short hours and with that in mind she cleaned herself up, changing back into the sharp travel suit she wore on the day or boarding. She looked herself over in the bathroom mirror and smiled; content and comfortable with her own reflection for the first time in months.

There was only one thing making her uneasy now and she decided to mitigate it by rummaging through the nightstand drawer to find a notepad and an ink pen. She wrote a brief note thanking Kazuo and (more grudgingly) Lin for their hospitality- a note she planned to drop on the desk before slipping out of the suite to avoid another contentious encounter with Beifong.

With her bag packed and her note in hand, Korra opened the door to find the sitting room empty. She sighed in relief, tip-toeing out to deposit her note on the desk as planned.

The other bedroom door swung open and Korra gasped unintentionally, turning to find Lin already dressed and smiling, "Good morning, Korra."

"Uh….morning," Korra greeted stiffly. She held the note up, "I..I uh was just going to leave this for you and get out of your hair."

Lin reached out; taking the note from Korra's hand without reading it, "Listen…about what I said yesterday…."

Korra cut her off, "It's all right. I have been crowding you."

Lin gave her a look of acknowledgement, but followed, "Why don't we take a walk."

Korra looked her over, unsure if she ought to take Lin's temperature. She looked past her at the closed door, silently hoping for Kazuo to appear and join them. Maybe she had killed him in the night and disposed of his body? Perhaps she was planning to do the same to Korra- a burial at sea!

"Okay," she agreed cautiously.

Lin led the way to the door, down the stairs and out to the lowest desk. They made their way around the ship, following the same path Korra had previously wandered.

"I should apologize for how I reacted to your news at dinner last night," Lin began, "You may have noticed I tend to shy away from private discussions."

"Uhhh…."

"I believe that the less personal information we exchange- the better."

Korra pursed her lips, "Yeah. I kind of picked up on that after uncovering a surprise sister and a surprise boyfriend you never mentioned," she laughed, "do you have a brother out there I haven't heard about or…?"

"Yes," Lin told her plainly.

Korra's jaw dropped.

"That was a joke," Lin explained, straight-faced. She pressed on, "Anyway, Kaz brought it to my attention that what you were probably looking for was validation. So, for the record, this doesn't alter my opinion of you at all. Frankly, I think its ridiculous that it is even considered taboo in the first place."

Korra could feel a little tickle in the back of her nose and stinging in her eyes. Though she had actively sought Lin's approval, she was still surprised by just how deeply receiving it affected her. Overwhelmed, Korra stopped in her tracks- giving Lin reason to pause as well. Korra took the opportunity to launch herself at her mentor and wrap her in a hug, "Thank you."

Lin went rigid with shock, returning it only after a moment.

"Okay, I think that's enough," she grunted, wrenching herself away from Korra's embrace after minute. She began walking again and Korra strolled beside her, grinning unabashedly.

"Spirits…it's such a relief to hear someone say they don't think it's strange that I'm dating Asami," Korra mused aloud, unsure if she were double-checking or simply enjoying the freedom of making the statement.

Lin shook her head, "I've met your friends and I think you've made the best possible choice given the options."

Korra laughed uproariously at her response.

"Besides," Lin continued with a light shrug, "life is short and largely miserable; if you're lucky enough to meet someone that makes it enjoyable then you should take the opportunity to be happy. It's a rare thing. "

Korra cracked a wry smile, bumping Lin's shoulder with her own playfully, "Talking about me or yourself there, Chief?"

Lin gave her a no-nonsense glare in return, "Stay on topic."

Korra laughed, saluting her, "yes ma'am!"

"I meant what I said about getting some kind of damage control in place," Lin told her seriously, "the press isn't going to make this easy on you."

Korra nodded, "they're already pretty harsh."

"Oh, they'll get harsher," Lin assured, becoming uncharacteristically animated, "one morning you'll wake up to a political cartoon in the paper about you being some old, broken satomobile that got traded in for a younger model! I just think someone should prepare you for that!"

Korra went silent, partly expecting Lin to bend the ship in half in a bout of seething rage. Lin took a deep breath, recovering her calm.

"Did that happen to you?"

"It's just an example," she snapped. "I just think it would be wise to get in front of it and tell your own story, instead of having it told for you."

Korra nodded solemnly, "Well, one step at a time. I can't even think about the press right now. I still need to tell my family. My friends. Tenzin."

"Tenzin won't care," Lin stated factually.

Korra looked at her hopefully, "You don't think so?"

"I know so," Lin replied, "His sister, Kya, has always dated women."

Korra gaped, "What?"

Kya was someone that had always been present at the edges of Korra's life. While she was never her direct teacher, some of Korra's earliest memories were of Katara and Kya training her in waterbending together. She was certainly there the first time Korra was ever able to do a phase change; manipulating water into a solid block of ice. She had cared for her after her battle with Zaheer and checked up on her many times since, just to see how she was feeling.

Korra paused again, turning to rest her forearms on the railing to look out over the water. She marveled at how this information gave her the smallest notion of assurance. Just knowing she wasn't alone relieved her troubled heart immensely.

"I wonder if my parents know that?" Korra wondered aloud.

"It's not a secret," Lin replied casually, coming to stand beside her.

"Well, its news to me," Korra volleyed, "would have been helpful to know a couple months ago- I might not have been quite so stressed out about this whole thing."

Lin nodded, "Would have eased the path for you?"

"Yeah."

"Well," Lin sighed, "now you have the opportunity to do that for someone else."

A smile tugged at the corner of Korra's lips, "Yeah, I guess I do."

Korra's chest swelled with purpose at the thought. If sharing her experience could lighten the load of another then it would be well worth it.

In the distance, Korra caught her first glimpse of land in days and shouted happily, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she pointed it out to Lin. Though she understood her journey not yet over, she allowed herself a little commendation for making it this far.

Lin turned around, looking up toward their quarters, "Well, I suppose we'd better head back and get ready for docking."

"Definitely," Korra agreed merrily, knowing Asami was less than an hour away.

Lin squinted, lifting one hand to shield the sun from her eyes as she stared upward uneasily, "Oh…my…I didn't realize it was possible to see my balcony from here."

Korra averted her gaze nervously, "Is it? I didn't notice!"

* * *

The dock of Fire Fountain City was throbbing with humanity. Korra took one last look over the edge in a futile attempt to spot Asami among the masses before grabbing her suitcase and running down to join Lin in the disembarkation line.

Anticipation coursed through Korra's veins, working itself out by way of her tapping feet and clicking tongue. The line for customs and immigration was impossibly long and Korra could hardly contain herself causing Lin to finally snap, "Quit fidgeting!"

At the end of the line Korra rejoiced when her documents were stamped and approved. She scanned the crowd for Asami again, but found Kazuo instead.

As a native resident Kazuo had moved through his line quickly and was already waiting for them when they finally set foot in the Fire Nation.

"Still waiting on my luggage," Kazuo informed them as they approached. Lin visibly deflated at this news and he helpfully added, "but I'll hold yours!"

"Oh, you mean my single suitcase that fits more than enough for a three week trip? That one?" she grumbled. He shrugged innocently, taking it from her hands.

He looked over at Korra, "Do you need a ride or anything?"

"No," she replied, "but I did want to say thank you again. I'm so glad I ran into you guys."

Kazuo grinned, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Korra."

"You too," she agreed, wrapping her arms around him quickly. She broke away, hugging Lin one last time as well.

Korra stepped back, head swiveling back and forth in search, "Now, I just need to find- ASAMI!"

There was no mistaking that head of hair and Korra made a beeline for her girlfriend swiftly, suitcase bouncing against her as she ran.

"Korra!" Asami beamed, waving one hand over her head.

Korra slipped through the crowd, dodging bags and people before they finally met with an enthusiastic crash. Korra gripped her tightly, swinging her around once, inhaling the familiar scent of her hair.

"Whoa!" Asami laughed of her enthusiasm. She was about to say something else when Korra cut her off by gripping either side of her face and kissing her.

In plain sight.

When their lips broke apart, their foreheads remained connected and Asami let out a small laugh, eyes watering, "Korra…everybody is looking…."

"So?" Korra replied, "let them look."

She pushed forward again, giving Asami a light peck. A few tears rolled down Asami's cheeks, though her smile remained, "I thought you were worried about what everyone would say…"

Korra broke away to give Asami a significant look, "I am," she continued, "but we're in this together, right?"

"Right," Asami agreed.

"That makes it a lot less scary," Korra finished.

Asami sprang forward enveloping Korra in grateful hug. After a moment she looked up, spotting something over her shoulder.

"Is that Chief Beifong?"

Korra pulled back, turning to give Lin and Kazuo a wave from across the crowd, "Yeah, she was on the ship!"

"Who is she with?"

"Her boyfriend," Korra reported.

Asami waved blankly, "Her what?"

"I know, right," Korra continued, "And he's actually really fun and nice. It was a weird trip- I came out to her as gay and she came out to me as an actual human being."

Asami's eyebrows rose in amusement, giving Korra a giggle.

"I'll tell you all about it over some noodles."

"Sounds perfect," Asami agreed, taking her hand.

* * *

**A/N 2:** For those interested; you can find Kazuo's first appearance in "The Rebound" on my main page!


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